Thomas Sworn In As 106th Justice In Huge White House Ceremony

October 19, 1991|The Baltimore Sun

WASHINGTON -- Three days after his narrow confirmation by the Senate, Clarence Thomas tasted the victory on Friday at an unusual White House ceremony marking the first phase of his swearing-in as the 106th justice of the Supreme Court.

Associate Justice Byron White had barely finished administering the oath when Justice-designate Thomas flashed a thumbs-up signal to the 1,000 friends, supporters and Republican dignitaries he had insisted on including in a gathering so large it could only be accommodated outside on the White House South Lawn.

``There have been many difficult days as we all went through the confirmation battle, and I mean we all,`` Thomas, 43, said, in his only reference to last weekend`s hearings on sexual harassment charges that some feared would prove his undoing.

During the hearings, he had told senators that contrary to his expectation there had been no joy in his nomination since it was announced on July 1. ``But on this sunny day in October at the White House there is joy,`` he said on Friday. ``Joy in the morning.``

There may have been a bit too much joy for some members of the nation`s highest court, who court sources said had tried to dissuade the White House from holding the swearing-in ceremony while the justices were still in mourning over the death early Thursday of Natalie Rehnquist, wife of Chief Justice William Rehnquist.

But White House press secretary Marlin Fitzwater said that the president was unaware of any ill feelings or that the court wanted the ceremony delayed. He said that Bush had spoken to the chief justice on Thursday and that the subject had not come up.